Controlling or reducing stress using auricular neurostimulation

Abstract

In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for controlling or reducing stress levels includes an ear-mounted device having an earpiece for positioning over a wearer's ear contacting tissue regions surrounding the ear, and electrodes for delivering non-piercing neurostimulation, with first electrode(s) arranged on a first surface of the earpiece to contact a first tissue region, and second electrode(s) are arranged on a second surface to contact a second tissue region. The auricular branch of the vagus nerve or the auriculotemporal nerve is situated beneath the first tissue region. The apparatus includes a controller to deliver therapeutic stimulation pulses via the stimulation device, where the pulses in combination with the positioning of the first electrode(s) and the second electrode(s) are configured to modulate the activity ratio between the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby increasing vagal tone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A neurostimulation apparatus for controlling or reducing stress levels while avoiding decreasing vagal tone, the apparatus comprising:
 an ear-mounted stimulation device comprising
 an earpiece configured to be positioned over the ear of the wearer in contact with tissue regions surrounding the ear of the wearer, and 
 a plurality of electrodes each configured to deliver a non-piercing electrical stimulation via skin, 
 wherein a first one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes is arranged on a first surface of the earpiece configured to contact a first tissue region of the tissue regions, wherein at least one of an auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) or an auriculotemporal nerve (ATN) is situated directly beneath and/or beneath and closely adjacent to the first tissue region, and 
 wherein a second one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are arranged on a second surface of the ear-mounted stimulation device configured to contact a second tissue region of the tissue regions; and 
 a controller in electrical communication with the ear-mounted stimulation device, the controller comprising processing circuitry configured to deliver therapeutic stimulation pulses configured to control or reduce stress levels via the ear-mounted stimulation device, wherein delivering the therapeutic stimulation pulses comprises
 delivering a first series of stimulation pulses to the first one or more electrodes at one or more frequencies within a range from 5 Hz to 30 Hz, and 
 delivering a second series of stimulation pulses to the second one or more electrodes at one or more frequencies within a range from 70 Hz to 150 Hz, 
 wherein the therapeutic stimulation pulses in combination with the positioning of the first one or more electrodes to contact the first tissue region and the positioning of the second one or more electrodes to contact the second tissue region are configured to modulate the activity ratio between the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), thereby increasing vagal tone.